DSL terminal-exchange device connecting system and method

ABSTRACT

A network device includes a media gateway to receive and process a voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL) communication to generate voice data in a predetermined format; a terminating unit to receive another type of voice communication and output voice data in the predetermined format; and a control unit to receive the generated voice data from the media gateway and the outputted voice data from the terminating unit, where the network device exchanges at least one of the VoDSL communication to the other type of voice communication or the other type of voice communication to the VoDSL communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a DSL terminal—An exchange deviceconnecting system and method and, more particularly to, such the DSLterminal—the exchange device connecting system and method that uses aVoDSL technology to transfer voice data in a packet through a DSL.

2. Description of the Related Art

A communication technology for creating an ATM cell by using asubscriber access device is disclosed in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. Hei 11-331191. The VoDSL (Voice over DSL) technology canbe used in a voice communication service. In a voice communicationservice by use of VoDSL, a subscriber using the VoDSL technology isaccommodated in a exchange device 101 by, as shown in FIG. 4,terminating voice data transmitted in an ATM cell through an xDSL 102with a VoDSLGW (gateway) 103 and utilizing an access network such as aV5 or GR-303 interface 104. To apply the voice communication service byuse of the VoDSL technology to the existing exchange device 101, it isnecessary to prepare a switching device for connecting such an accessnetwork 104 into the exchange device 101. The connection of the line andthe installation of such a switching device will result in thecorresponding costs being imposed on an end user.

However, it is desired to avoid increasing such costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a DSL terminalexchange device connecting system and method that will not increase thecosts on a user.

Means for solving this problem is expressed as follows. Technologicalitems given in this expression are assigned a subscript of a numeral, asymbol, etc. parenthesized. These numeral, symbol, etc. agree with thoseadded to technological items which constitute at least one or aplurality of embodiments or examples of the present invention, inparticular such technological items that are given in drawings whichcorrespond to these embodiments or examples. Those reference numeralsand symbols are given to clearly define the correspondence orcorrelation between the technological items described in the claims andthose described in the embodiments or examples. Such correspondence orcorrelation does not mean that the technological items described in theclaims are limited to those described in the embodiments or examples.

A DSL terminal—An Exchange device connecting system according to presentinvention comprising: the exchange device 3; a DSL subscriber terminal2-n; an IAD 1 to which said DSL subscriber terminal 2-n is connected;and a DSL 5 interposed between said exchange device 3 and said IAD 1,wherein said exchange device 3 having a VMG 4 for terminating an ATMcell which is multiplexed on said DSL 5.

Call processing can be controlled without knowing about a device underthe control of a subscriber control unit by the exchange device softwarethat can terminate a voice packet transmitted as multiplexed over a DSL(5) by using the exchange device (3), which then converts the voicepacket into a packet according to an existing exchange device interfaceto thereby directly accommodate a DSL subscriber therein.

Since voice data over the xDSL utilizing the VoDSL technology is thusconverted into data according to the existing exchange device interfacedata directly, the DSL subscriber appears to the exchange device to beequivalent to an existing voice communication service subscriber and socan be accommodated in an existing exchange device. It is, therefore,possible to increase the number of subscribers who can be accommodatedin the exchange device only by providing the exchange device with a VMG(Voice Media Gateway) just like a subscriber accommodating device, thusdecreasing the equipment funds for accommodation of the subscribers. Byreplacing an existing subscriber accommodating device with a VMG in aremote station installed in a remote area also, it is possible toincrease the number of subscribers accommodated by that remote station.

The VMG(4) can be equipped with a DSL·IF terminating unit (7) fordirectly terminating an ATM cell to thereby terminate the ATM cell atthe exchange device. The VMG(4) further including an AAL processing unit(9) for dividing the ATM cells terminated at the DSL·IF terminating unit(7) to a voice signal cell (11) and a call control signal cell (12), aDSP (13) for converting an ADPCM data for the voice signal cell (11),and a MUX/DMUX (14) for multiplexing the voice signal cell converted bythe DSP(13) and the call control signal cell (17). Thus added DSP isadapted to convert voice data from, for example, 32KADPCM to 64KADPCM inmodulation data. A DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer)(21) can be terminated at a DSL (5) to thereby convert voice on the DSL(5) into an ATM cell. The DSLAM (21) can be directly connected to theAAL (9) through an ATM network (22), in which case the DSL IFterminating unit (7) is omitted.

A method of present invention for connecting the exchange device for aDSL terminal comprises the steps of terminating at the exchange device(3) a voice packet transmitted as multiplexed over the DSL (5) andpermitting the switchboard (3) to convert the voice packet into a packetaccording to an existing switchboard interface (8), thus enablingdirectly accommodating a subscriber in the exchange device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is system block diagram for showing a DSL terminal-exchangedevice connecting system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram for showing details of part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a system block diagram for showing the DSL terminal-exchangedevice switchboard connecting system according to another embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram for showing a publicly known VoDSLcommunication system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A DSL terminal—An exchange device connecting system according to anembodiment of the present invention comprises a exchange device as wellas an IAD (Integrated Access Device) as shown in the figures. As shownin FIG. 1, this IAD 1 is connected with subscriber terminals 2-1 through2-n (n=1 and 2 in the figure) to thereby accommodate them. The exchangedevice 3 of the system has a VMG 4 therein. The IAD 1 is connected tothe VMG 4 through an xDSL 5.

The VMG 4 terminates the xDSL 5 for transferring voice data of each of aplurality of telephone subscribers accommodated in the IAD 1. The voicedata thus transferred is converted into an ATM cell and then transferredthrough the xDSL 5 to the VMG 4 in the IAD 1.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed internal configuration of the VMG 4. As shown inFIG. 2, the VMG 4 has an xDSL·IF terminating unit 7 therein. The VMG 4uses the xDSL·IF terminating unit 7 to terminate the xDSL 5 in order toextract voice data from the ATM cell transferred over the xDSL 5 andmultiplex it at a subscriber control device interface 8 accompanying theVMG 4. Thus multiplexed voice data is transferred to a subscribercontrol unit (LOC) 6.

An ATM component received and extracted at the xDSL·IF terminating unit7 is transferred to an AAL processing unit 9. This ATM componentundergoes SAR processing at the AAL processing unit, from which a voicesignal cell 11 and a call control signal 12 are divided. The voicesignal cell 11 may sometimes be compressed with such a compressingtechnology as a 32K ADPCM data so that the voice data may enhance anaccommodating efficiency of the xDSL 5 thereon.

The voice signal cell 11, if compressed in such a manner, divided at theAAL processing unit 9 to then be transferred to a DSP13. The voicesignal cell 11 is converted at the DSP 13 from 32K ADPCM to 64K ADPCM inmodulation data and transferred to a MUX/DMUX 14.

The call control signal 12 that otherwise divided at the AAL processingunit 9 is output from there to be read out by a CPU 15. The AALprocessing unit 9 is connected to the CPU 15 through a CPU bus 16. TheCPU 15 analyzes call control information of the call control signal 12and interprets it into exchange device control data 17. The exchangedevice control data 17 is written through the CPU bus 16 into an SG·CTL18.

The SG·CTL 18 converts the exchange device control data 17 into data ofa subscriber control interface format and then transfers it to theMUX/DMUX 14. The MUX/DMUX 14 in turn transfers thus multiplexed voicesignal 11 and the call control signal 12 to the subscriber control unit6 through the subscriber control device interface 8. The voice data atthe subscriber control unit 6 is transferred back to the IAD 1 byperforming reverse transferring as against the above-mentionedtransferring and inverted multiplexing as against the above-mentionedmultiplexing.

FIG. 3 shows an other embodiment of exchange device connecting system ofDSL terminal according to present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, thisembodiment of the present invention utilizes an ATM network. This ATMnetwork 22 is connected using lines between the IAD 1 and a VMG 4′ inthe exchange device 3. Between the ATM network 22 and the IAD 1, a DSLAM21 is provided to the xDSL 5. The xDSL 5 is terminated at the DSLAM 21to be then converted into an ATM interface 23. The xDSL·IF terminatingunit 7 of FIG. 2 is omitted in the VMG 4′ in the exchange device 3according to this embodiment. The ATM interface 23 is terminated at theAAL processing unit 9 of the VMG 4 of FIG. 2, in which the xDSL·IFterminating unit 7 is omitted.

Thus, the DSL terminal-exchange device connecting system and method ofthe present invention employs a direct accommodating method, thusenabling mitigating the user burdens.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristic thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended Claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the Claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-29601(Filed on Feb. 6, 2001) including specification, claims, drawings andsummary are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

1. A network device comprising: a media gateway to receive a voice overdigital subscriber line (VoDSL) communication, the media gatewaycomprising: a first processing unit to process the VoDSL communicationto form a voice signal and a control signal; a second processing unit toconvert the control signal into network device control data; a signalinggateway controller to convert the network device control data into datain a control interface format; a digital signal processor to convert thevoice signal into voice packets in a predetermined format; and amultiplexer to multiplex the voice packets and the data in the controlinterface format to form voice data; a terminating unit to receiveanother type of voice communication and output voice data in thepredetermined format; and a control unit to receive the voice data fromthe media gateway and the outputted voice data from the terminatingunit, where the network device exchanges at least one of the VoDSLcommunication to the other type of voice communication or the other typeof voice communication to the VoDSL communication.
 2. The network deviceof claim 1, where the media gateway further comprises: an interfaceterminating unit to directly terminate the VoDSL communication.
 3. Thenetwork device of claim 1, where the digital signal processor is toconvert the voice signal from a 32 k to a 64 k adaptive differentialpulse code modulation.
 4. The network device of claim 1, furthercomprising: an interface via which the control unit is to receive themultiplexed voice data.
 5. A network device comprising: a media gatewayto receive a voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL) communication,the media gateway comprising: a processing unit to separate the VoDSLcommunication into a voice signal and a control signal, a digital signalprocessor to convert the voice signal into voice packets in apredetermined format, and a multiplexer to multiples the voice packetsand the control signal to form voice data; a terminating unit to receiveanother type of voice communication and output voice data in thepredetermined format; and a control unit to receive the voice data fromthe media gateway and the outputted voice data from the terminatingunit, where the network device exchanges at least one of the VoDSLcommunication to the other type of voice communication or the other typeof voice communication to the VoDSL communication.
 6. The network deviceof claim 5, where the digital signal processor is to convert the voicesignal from a 32 k to a 64 k adaptive differential pulse codemodulation.
 7. The network device of claim 5, further comprising: aninterface via which the control unit is to receive the multiplexed voicepackets and the multiplexed control signal.
 8. The network device ofclaim 5, where the media gateway further comprises: an interfaceterminating unit to directly terminate the VoDSL communication.
 9. Asystem comprising: one or more devices to: terminate multiplexed voicedata received via a digital subscriber line; divide the terminatedmultiplexed voice data into a voice signal and a control signal; convertthe control signal into network device control data; convert the networkdevice control data into data in a control interface format; convert thevoice signal into voice packets; and multiplex the voice packets and thedata in the control interface format.
 10. A method comprising:transferring, from a control unit to a voice media gateway via a controlinterface, first voice data including voice packets and data in acontrol interface format, where the first voice data is of a type otherthan voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL); demultiplexing thevoice packets and the data in the control interface format; converting,by a digital signal processor, the voice packets into a voice signal;converting, by a controller, the data in the control interface formatinto network device control data; converting, by a first processingunit, the network device control data into a call control signal; andprocessing, by a second processing unit, the call control signal and thevoice signal into second voice data; and transmitting second voice datavia a digital subscriber line.
 11. The method of claim 10, where thedigital signal processor is to convert the voice signal from 64 k to 32k adaptive differential pulse code modulated data.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, where the voice media gateway comprises the digital signalprocessor, the controller, the first processing unit, and the secondprocessing unit.
 13. The method of claim 12, where the control unit andthe voice media gateway reside in an exchange device.
 14. A methodcomprising: terminating, at a network device, multiplexed voice datareceived via a digital subscriber line; dividing, by one or more devicesof the network device, the terminated multiplexed voice data into avoice signal and a control signal; converting, by one or more devices ofthe network device, the control signal into network device control data;converting, by one or more devices of the network device, the networkdevice control data into data in a control interface format; converting,by one or more devices of the network device, the voice signal intovoice packets; and multiplexing, by one or more devices of the networkdevice, the voice packets and the data in the control interface format.